Luis Andres Cardona Indicted for Production of Child Pornography

McALLEN, TX—A McAllen grand jury has indicted Luis Andres Cardona, 53, for production of child pornography, United States Attorney José Angel Moreno announced today.

The one-count indictment, returned by the grand jury on Aug. 9, 2011, charges Cardona, of Mission, Texas, with producing images of child pornography beginning in December 2008 through October 2010 of a minor child using materials that had been mailed, shipped, or transported in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce.

The federal charges arise from an investigation initiated by the Mission Police Department which culminated in the arrest of Cardona in May 2011 on state charges involving the alleged sexual abuse of a 9-year-old female child. The federal charges are the result of further investigation by the FBI. Presently in state custody, Cardona is expected to be transferred into federal custody for arraignment on the federal charges in the very near future.

If convicted of production of child pornography, Cardona faces no less than 15 years up to life in federal prison without parole, a fine of $250,000 and a term of supervised release of no less than five years up to life during which the court can impose any number of conditions designed to protect children. Additionally, registration as a sex offender is mandatory.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Juan F. Alanis and Kimberly Bulger Leo are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.